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Senate Votes to Protect Elderly Homeowners Seeking a Reverse Mortgage

State Senator Steve Cassano (D-Manchester) this evening voted to protect elderly homeowners in dire financial circumstances from possible deception or bad decisions by requiring banks to counsel them on the pros and cons of reverse mortgages before signing any such agreement.

The bill passed the Senate on a 24-12 mostly party-line vote, with all Democratic state senators voting in favor of the pro-consumer bill and two-thirds of Republican senators voting against the measure.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“There’s no harm, only a benefit, in banks ensuring that their customers fully comprehend the consequences of a reverse mortgage – especially for an older homeowner
whose personal circumstances have forced them to apply for such a reverse mortgage,” Sen. Cassano said. “Make sure it’s the best option, make sure they know the pros and cons – that’s just good business ethics. I’m happy to vote for what I see as a pro-consumer bill.”

Such counseling may include telling elderly homeowners about other options available to them, the financial implications of entering into a reverse mortgage, disclosing that a reverse mortgage may have tax consequences, affect eligibility for assistance under federal and state programs, or have an impact on the homeowner’s estate and heirs.

The bill also requires reverse mortgage lenders to store a signed certification from the borrower that the counseling requirements were met.

Nationally, reverse mortgages are sometimes marketed to older Americans with advertisements featuring reassuring celebrity spokesmen. Last year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined three reverse mortgage companies a combined $800,000 for using deceptive advertisements to sell reverse mortgages, noting that while these national firms promoted the loans as essentially risk-free, borrowers of reverse mortgages can default on their loans and lose their homes through foreclosure if they fail to make necessary payments for property taxes, insurance, or home maintenance.